Observers in areas with heavy poaching had previously noticed an increased incidence of African elephants without their iconic tusks. But until now there has been no direct genetic evidence indicating how this was happening, or why the trait was occurring exclusively in female elephants.
WASHINGTON A hefty set of tusks is usually an advantage for elephants, allowing them to dig for water, strip bark for food and joust with other elephants. But during episodes of intense ivory poaching, those big incisors become a liability.